Imports were boosted by an energy-related surge required after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita laid waste to Gulf Coast energy infrastructure in September. At the same time, a Boeing Co. strike sharply cut the number of airplanes exported in the month.

Even though economists had anticipated these factors, the trade deficit for September was well above expectations. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had expected the deficit to widen, but only to $61.5 billion. See Economic Calendar.

The September trade data will have an effect on growth in gross domestic product for the third quarter, initially reported at a 3.8% annualized rate. The deficit for September is wider than government estimates that were included in the growth estimate.

"The stunning September result was even more pessimistic than the assumptions incorporated by Commerce Department statisticians," noted Michelle Girard, strategist at RBS Greenwich Capital.

A larger trade deficit by itself would dampen growth. But any drag from the trade sector is likely to be offset by a faster pace of inventory growth in the third quarter than the government initially estimated.

Economists said that taking into account all revisions, third-quarter GDP may be revised up slightly to 4.0%.

In September, imports rose while exports had their largest decline since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

The value of U.S. oil imports fell to $16.0 billion in September from $17.2 billion in August. The price of a barrel of oil rose to a record $57.32 in September, but the quantity of crude imports fell to 278.5 million barrels, the lowest since February 2003.

Back in the spotlight, the U.S. trade deficit with China widened to a record $20.1 billion in September from $15.5 billion in the same month last year. The trade gap with China rose to $146.3 billion in the first nine months of the year, up from $114.3 billion in the same period last year.

The U.S. also set record trade deficits with Canada, South/Central America and OPEC-member nations.

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